Pyaar
Ke Side Effects followed closely. This
movie which saw Mallika Sherawat trying
to break away from her established ‘image’
was accepted by the audience as a romantic
comedy. A controlled budget and good marketing
skills saw the movie making profits. It
finished somewhere close to being a hit.
Then
came September and the big releases started
happening once again. First off the blocks was
Vidhu Vinodh Chopra’s sequel: Lage Raho
Munna Bhai. Expectations were high and the film
did not let anyone down, in fact it proved to
be much above expectations. Everyone, absolutely
everyone loved the movie. It did better business
than Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. Unarguably, a universal
hit. One of the year’s highest money spinners.
In
October, close to Diwali, the most awaited movie
of the year Don released. Starring Shahrukh Khan
and bearing the legacy of the 1978 Amitabh Bacchhan
original, the movie had all the makings of a blockbuster.
Critics were a bit unkind to the film, but people
love SRK and the subsequent successful run of the
movie in theatres is proof of this. Though the movie
doesn’t make it to the league of superhits
that SRK has delivered in his career, the movie
managed nearly 50 cores which is by no means small.
Director Farhan Akthar must be commended for making
the movie look swank and reinventing the Don in
a more stylish manner.
But
the best of the year 2006 was reserved for
the last two months. In November released
Yashraj films’ Dhoom 2. The bikes, babes,
style, stunts and stunning locales and effects
made the movie look like a Hollywood product.
But the single most important factor that
turned the movie into the biggest hit of the
year was Hrithik Roshan. He never looked better
and he carried the weight of the movie entirely
on his shoulders. In spite of a story with
many loopholes (some opine that a thing such
as story was non-existent) the movie sustained
interest of the viewers. Dhoom 2 is still
going strong at the box office and is likely
to become an all time high grosser.
Other movies of 2006 which can be termed as
superhits are Priyadarshan’s comic caper
Malamaal Weekly, Neeraj Vora’s Phir
Hera Pheri and Sooraj Barjatya’s Vivaah
which is still doing well and is on its way
to superhit status.
As for the disappointments of 2006, Salman Khan did
not have a great year. Both his films, Diwali release
Jaanemann and December release Baabul did not live
up to expectations. The Sanjay Dutt- Arshad Warsi
combo in Anthony Kaun Hain failed to create waves.
The delayed release of Sohail Khan starrer Aryan proved
to be its downfall.
Films of 2006 whose status is not yet clear include
Kabul Express and Bhaagam Bhag. Kabul Express opened
pretty decently and may come close to being a hit.
Bhaagam Bhag has not turned out to be a laugh riot
as expected, but a good opening weekend and a hilarious
first half may see the movie through.
Also there were two movies in 2006 which no
one expected to leave any impact, but they did,
much to everyone’s surprise. The movies
were Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dor and Ranvir
Shourie, Anupam Kher starrer Khosla Ka Ghosla.
That was how 2006 shaped up for Bollywood. No
reasons to complain, a lot to celebrate. Let’s
hope that 2007 turns out to be just as good
or even better.
